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An extraordinary experience in an authentic samurai town
Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture
The Iriki-Fumoto Samurai Residences of Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture have a history of nearly 800 years. In Iriki-Fumoto, which has been designated as an Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings, the samurai spirit is still alive today.
You can try on a complete samurai armor outfit at a 13th-century samurai residence and go out for a walk, or experience a tea ceremony at the old Masuda House, an Important Cultural Property. Other aspects of Japanese culture you can enjoy here include making tatami coasters and bamboo chopsticks.
The Iriki Tourist Information Center offers visitors a full-scale samurai dress-up experience, where you can experience wearing professional armor used in Japanese TV shows and films. Dressing up takes about 30 to 45 minutes, after which you are welcome to walk around this cultural site for several hours. There are two outfit options, commander and soldier, with different types of armor. Prices are reasonable.
How to get there
From Kagoshima Airport (about 2 hours from Haneda Airport), take the Airport bus to Iriki-chu-mae bus stop (about 60 minutes). The Iriki Tourist Information Center is about 10 minutes on foot from the bus stop. It is also about 45 minutes by car from Kagoshima-Chuo Station (about 1 hour 30 minutes by JR Shinkansen bullet train from Hakata Station).
35-1 Uranomyo, Iriki-cho, Satsumasendai-shi, Kagoshima-ken
